The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-23
A CONGREssMAN'S WORK.
More Than Fifty Letters by One Mail. All
Which Require Answers.

More Than Fifty Letters by One Mail. All Of
Which Require Answers.
Special to the indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON, March 22--There are still 10
the city a number of Congressman who have
work to do in the departments. Almost every
day in the week they met in the corridors OF
the public buildings with bundle Of papers and
memoranda under their arms. One of these
gentlemen was seen by your correspondent this
morning as he came from the Treasury Depart
ment and knowing that he had extensive bust.
ness interests to attend to athome asked him
why he didn't pack up his belongings and leave.
AS SO many of the others had done. In repls he
invited me to his room at his hotel When we
entered the room he pointed to pile of letters
on the table in the center. There said he,
lis my mornings mail. want you to count the
letters and look their contents"
did so. There were fifty-three letters. every
one of which called for direct anewer as we'll as
for visit to or the other of the hedepartments.
Of the fftythree only one contained stamp for
the reply. My congressional friend remarked
'that is the second stamp / Ihave had this winter.
use on an average fifty day, and of course pay
for them out of my own funds, although in not
my correspondent before"
One of these letters was from a young man
who desired place in the printing g-office. He
sent the Endorsement of the ward committee as
well as that of the president of social club.
Another came from widow whose son had en-
listed in the regular army and who was very
anxious to secure his discharge. as she had no
other means Of support than his earnings. The
fourth asked the member to SEQ the Secretary
of the Navy and induce him to commute the
sentence of imprisonment for four months which
an intoxicated sailor had brought upon himself
Twenty-seven of the iifty-three are requests for
information touching certain pension claims.
Five correspondents desired packages of seeds
from the Agricultural Department One man
gave a list of few of the government pubiica-
tons which he was anxious TO secure. The list
embraced nearly every work of value which the
government has ever published and to have sup
piled even half the wants of this man would
have taken 90 per cent. of my congressional
friends salary for the year. A school tenche.
desired map of the United States. a some
what prominent politician from this eentlernan's
State desired his service in securing the pardon
Of cousin of the aforesaid politician
who had, during moment of temporary indis-
cretion, broken into the house of another con-
stituent OF the Congressman, and had picked up
and carried off all he could find of value therein.
The other letters all asked for congressional doc
uments, aud were more easily answered than
any others.
How do you rid yourself Of this correspond
encel" asked; i; must take great deal OF your
time to simply reply to those letters
II have adopted plan of my own' was the
reply. when first came here used to die
tate an answer TO each one to my stenographer,
he used to write the letters, and l would sign
them. Now do not dictate moro than two or
three day. My clerk is a very valuable young
man, and he reads all those letters before look
NJ shnv,, Ha hfat
which relate to matters of which ha has no
knowledge. These he turns TO me, and
dictate my answer back To him. By this means
am relieved of great deal Of labor. The oEly